Seafoam
by MyMidnightMuse
Summary: (AU/Mermaid) Otabek is a college student in a small town who often visits an abandoned lake that was once part of the Caspian Sea. After many years of coming, he encounters something unbelievable.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N - Please excuse the short chapter! I just wanted to get the meeting across separate from anything else... Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story, I've been in love with the idea ever since it first came to me. I hope I do this couple justice! C:**

 **Please review and follow if you enjoy it, I will try to post once a week or more if my workload allows!)**

* * *

It was a hot, muggy summer, and the parasitic insects of the rather large lake swarmed in great clouds, searching desperately for an animal of some sort to feast upon. The hum of thousands of wings filled the air only occasionally being overpowered by the loud chirp of a cicada or the splash of a hunting fish leaping up to snatch a mosquito or biting fly from the water's surface. The reed-filled shallows served as a breeding ground for many of the insects as well as many of the smaller fish and amphibians. Occasionally a small bird would dive down, their hungry beaks filling with juicy bugs from the greater swarms.

A small, yard wide break in the reeds allowed a splintering and weak wooden dock to run through to the cleaner, more freely flowing water. Once upon a time the dock had been much wider, supporting the many merchants of the nearby town as they sent their goods out to the Caspian sea. However, as the land had gotten hotter, the water had receded from the sea causing the lake to form. It had been nearly seventy years since the dock had been abandoned and the town left to only a small few; the majority moving away to be closer to the sea. The use of modern technology had even further separated the townspeople from the lake, leaving it to be lost to time. Mother Nature had greedily lapped up the open area, destroying the empty nearby buildings and filling the area with young trees and weeds. The forest had gladly taken back the mile that had once been the trek to the dock. Only a small break in the weeds, wide enough for one person to walk through was indicative of any visitors. In fact, this old dock had only one visitor at this time, or really at any time within the past forty years. This was his trail, made from the nearly daily trek he made to the water.

A relatively short man, his midnight black hair shone as he pushed it back against his head in an effort to clear it from his eyes and sweat broke forehead. His tanned skin spoke of his fondness of the outdoors. Slowly, he walked towards the dock, his long, slender legs striding through the weeds. White puffs carrying Kazakh dandelion fruit took flight from the heavy heads of the ready parent flowers as his feet knocked them free. His deep chestnut eyes blinked, shimmering in the afternoon light, shifting occasionally to make sure that he wasn't going to step on any small animals.

His slim, athletic build was clad rather simply; in a black short sleeved shirt and a pair of deeply colored blue jeans that were tucked into a pair of calf-high leather hobnailed boots. Mud had caked itself to the boots, proof of a recent rain to the area. Slung low over his left shoulder was a black messenger bag where he carried his rather modest supplies; a notebook, two pencils, a black zip sweater, a can of bug spray, and his phone. The bag swung and rubbed against his hip as he walked causing a soft swishing noise to join in with the constant buzzing. The young man raised a hand to shield his eyes from the harsh summer sun, smiling fondly as he neared the dock.

This young man, whose name was Otabek Altin, had been coming faithfully to this lake since the age of twelve. He had stumbled upon it at that age while playing in the woods behind his parent's house and had fallen in love. The lake, unlike its heyday, was quiet and peaceful, something the nineteen year old adored. He often came here to work on his studies during secondary school and continued to still with his university work, though the visit today was simply for pleasure.

Booted feet thumped on the old wood as he carefully walked down the dock, wary of the weaker areas on his way to his favorite spot to sit at the very end. The raven-haired male delicately seated himself on the edge of the end of the dock, untangling himself from his backpack and setting it behind him before going to work on untying his boots. Freeing his feet from the leather boots and socks, Otabek sat them beside him. He rolled up his jeans, eager to feel the cool water on his skin. Gently he dipped his feet in, sighing and reclining his head back, eyes closed against the sun.

A sudden splash gained the male's attention moments later, his head raising while his eyes eagerly search for the ripples in the water. Once found, he watched them attentively awaiting the fish to jump again. He always loved watching them.

Minutes passed with no changes to the water, yet the teen awaited patiently. Slowly, so to remain silent, he reached back into his bag, frowning as he noticed that it seemed to feel damp. Shaking his head, Otabek cast the thought aside, blaming it on his imagination. He reached deeper, suddenly finding himself confused as he didn't feel his sweater. This nearly caused him to turn around when a shot of a gold dorsal fin splashing ahead of him caught his eye. He gasped, his hand jerking out of his bag, the sweater momentarily forgotten.

"Whoa…" Otabek muttered, his brow furrowing. Something that big shout not be able to survive in a lake this size and yet he had just seen it with his own eyes. He watched, his focus resharpened as he waited for another sighting to confirm the size. "Gold spiny rays…? What kind of fish could that be?" He thought, leaning forward in anticipation. "I've never read about a fish with gold spiny rays for a dorsal."

A gentle lapping at the rotting wood of the dock sounded and yet still his concentration did not waver. Sea green orbs peered over the edge of the dock at the broad shoulders of the male as a golden-haired head silently rose from the polluted water. Small amounts of seaweed littered the shimmering locks of the being, hanging almost decoratively around his fair face. Slender fingers stretched out, the yellow and pink webbed membranes that held each to another glittered with droplets of water as they reached out once more towards the unattended messenger bag. The creature wore a sly smile, pleased that his quick swimming and splashing had bought him more time behind this man, or more accurately, in his bag. Green eyes held unwaveringly on the Kazakh's form, watching for any movement that would indicate him turning around. His hand returned once more to the bag, this time pulling out the notebook.

The creatures eyes shimmered in wonderment as they finally left the human's back and met the strange object he had found. Would it stretch like that other object? He grinned as he opened the notebook, pulling at the pages, eyes wide with excitement. The sudden tearing noise startled not only him, but also the human that he was trying so hard not to alarm. Prussian green eyes suddenly met with the chestnut brown orbs of his theft victim. Both froze.

Time stood still for nearly a full minute before Otabek broke it, lurching forward in an attempt to grab the remains of his notebook. "What are you doing!?" He shouted at what he presumed was a common thief before him. Otabek, however, was too slow, finding himself with a face full of water as one of the webbed hands splashed at him wildly. What seemed to be a warning hiss from the other hit his ears. "W-What the hell?!"

The blond's tri-pointed ears twitched, the gold and pink hues shimmering as if coated in the finest grain of glitter. Otabek blinked, eyes wide. Those had to be the most realistic prosthetics he had ever seen. The way the light shone through them, Otabek could swear he could see tiny veins. Now that he looked closer he noticed a small amount of scales on the forehead, cheeks, and shoulders of the being; a beautiful gold that was speckled in a pale pink at the tip of each one. A visual standoff began all over again, this time with a squinting and wary merman, and a shocked, dripping, breathless human. Otabek's eyes darted down the man's chest, his heart rate spiking as he noted the lack of navel that was instead covered in more scales, the very tops of low built pectoral fins beating at the surface of the water. The motion of the three slits on each side of the man's ribs next caught his attention. Gills. This man had working gills.

"O-Oh my G-" he began only to get a mouthful of water as he was splashed again by the cautious creature who had been startled by the sudden noise. By the time Otabek wiped the dirtied water from his eyes the creature had vanished, leaving only ripples in his wake. Otabek shot to his feet, whirling this way and that, desperately trying to spot the impossibility that he had just seen.

"No way…" He muttered, hair dripping down his face before he shoved the locks back once more. "Holy… Holy shit!"


	2. Chapter 2

The sting of alcohol caused the slightest wrinkle in the Kazakh's nose as he downed the rest of the amber-colored fluid from the etched glass he held. A soft sigh left his lips as he sat the glass on the counter, chestnut eyes scanning the dark room from behind the counter. Strobes flashed while red lasers traced designs on the walls and floor. Purposefully, he avoided the gaze of a patron that was awaiting service from his coworker, pretending to be occupied with something else. He fiddled with the door to the refrigerator, rattling it lightly. Even at work it seemed that he could not get the image of golden scales from his mind. He was distracted, which was unusual for Otabek.

A firm hand clapped onto his shoulder, causing the short male to jump, a chill shooting through his limbs. "You're almost done with your break, right? You have requests piling up back there." A thumb shot back to the DJ booth as the woman before him grinned. Her red hair hung lazily around her face in gentle waves, the color matching perfectly with the lipstick she wore that night. Both arms slowly crossed under her bust, pushing them up in a subtle attempt at teasing the man before her.

"Yeah," Otabek said, his expression becoming somewhat uncomfortable as he glanced at the pale skinned swell of the bartender's bosom. After a brief moment, Otabek averted his eyes, shoving a hand into the pocket of his black jeans. "Yeah, I'm coming back now. I'll get to them soon. Thanks for the heads up, Mila."

Mila's arms fell to her sides as she watched the other go, a carefully plucked brow raising slightly. That was unusual, she knew. Usually the Kazakh man held no qualms with looking her over, even after the end of whatever it was that they had once shared. As she began to wonder what might be wrong with the tanned male, a shout from the consumer's side of the bar stopped her. It would have to wait. "Yeah, yeah!" She shouted back at the figure who was calling to her, "I'm not deaf or blind! You don't need to-" a pause as she realized just who she had been shouting at, "Sara! Oh my God, you haven't visited me in forever! What have you been up to? What can I get you, sweetie? It's all on me, you're not paying a cent!" In no time the red-head was all squeals and smiles, the slightest tint of red gracing her features, though in the dim lighting it wasn't visible.

Otabek shook his head as he sat down in the booth, slipping the headphones on while keeping one slightly ajar. Mila always did have more attention for women, he knew, and perhaps that was why their relationship had not worked out. She was not being honest with herself, and they both knew it on some level. They had just been convenient for each other at the time, and Otabek had been the one to break it off once he realized it one month ago tonight. It wasn't what a relationship should be, he firmly believed, and he only had wished it hadn't taken him two years to come to this conclusion. Mila obviously liked women and Otabek liked… Well, Otabek wasn't quite sure what he liked. This make him feel guilty.

His fingers moved skillfully across the variety of buttons and switches, altering the music he had just queued. Sweat was already beginning to break on his forehead after only minutes in. This was not unusual though, as the raised booth was always heated from the dancing bodies below. A sigh escaped his lips as his head began bobbing along with the music. The black-haired male swiveled his chair to grab the clipboard with the request list on it and quickly set to work, weaving in the requested songs with his own choices for the transitions.

A flash of gold on the dance floor caused the Kazakh male to momentarily freeze as he leaned away from the screen before him, earthy eyes widening as he searched for it. He chastised himself a second later for even considering that the color was exclusive to the creature he had seen earlier that day. How embarrassing. It must have just been a more flashy patron's outfit for the night.

The loud thud of a beer mug slamming down on the table beside him nearly caused the male to jump. His head shot towards the figures shadowing over his booth's doorway before a small smirk broke on his lips. "Hey! Bulat! Talgat! Sezim!" He stood immediately, grinning. "You didn't tell me that you guys were coming out tonight!" Otabek's eye caught on the slinky gold-toned minidress that Sezim wore. That must have been what he had seen.

The rather busty woman grinned wide, and strode forward, onto the first step on the way up to the DJ's booth. "Wanted to surprise you! We saw your bike out there and figured why not? You got time for a smoke, Beka? I brought a spare pack for you."

Otabek laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I can step out for a second. I just finished queueing the request list so I've got a few. It's half an hour before I have to do any mic work." The tawny skinned woman stepped back along with her male companions as Otabek stepped down from the booth. All three of his visitors stood taller than Otabek did, yet at this point he hardly noticed. In the past it had bothered him but at some point he had grown accustomed to it. Otabek's arm swung around to grab the mug of beer that he had been gifted before tipping it back, taking large mouthfuls at a time in order to drink it quickly. His friends cheered encouraging words as he worked it all down, hands slapping his back as the mug lowered, now empty.

"That's more like it!" The tallest male shouted over the music, shaking Otabek by the shoulder. His bleached blond hair glimmered in the flashing lights. "I'll buy you another when we get in, Beka."

Otabek slid his headphones down to rest around his neck. "Talgat, this was your idea, wasn't it?" He asked, looking at the blond who in turn shrugged and rolled his eyes, an obvious admission. "I should have known," he said, laughing as he lead the others down the back stairwell and through one of the two back exits. The chilly night air thrilled his skin pleasantly. It was a good change of pace from the muggy heat of the upstairs dance floor. "So," Otabek said, gratefully taking the unopened pack of cigarettes from Sezim. He continued while opening the box and thumbing one out, "Who are you riding with tonight, Sezim?"

The woman wiggled her hips as she lit first his cigarette and then her own. A plume of bluish-white smoke blew from between her cherry painted lips. "Well obviously I'm with Talgat tonight! We match, see?" She gestured from her metallic dress to the gold-toned accent pieces the blond-haired male wore. Was that a blush on Talgat's cheeks? "Besides! I matched up with Bulat last time. I can't play favorites, Beka, they'd fight over me!"

Otabek laughed, flicking ash from the glowing end of his cigarette. "Of course, how could I not have noticed! Still…" he paused long enough to take a drag and blow it out, "I don't know how you guys do it. I couldn't even make a monogamous relationship work and you guys are working the poly circuit."

"Beka, you just need to get out from behind that booth and mingle, that's your issue. You spend all of your time at school, or in the booth, or at that weird lake. How do you think your love life is going to go?" Talgat said, placing an arm around Sezim's ample hip. "But anyway, forget that Mila chick, she's cute but she's not your speed. I think she prefers another type of lover, you know, of the female persuasion." Talgat sputtered as Sezim's fist stabbed into his side abruptly.

"Geez, you colossal dumbass! They only broke up like a month ago! Don't you remember how long you whined when I first dumped you?! Three months! It was three months!" She scolded with a snarl before turning back to Otabek. "Sorry about that. He's a total idiot, you know that."

The short male let out a loud laugh, his free hand running through his hair. "Sezim, I'm totally over it. Don't worry about me. I recover fast so you don't need to coddle me. Regardless, it's not like I've had nothing to do since then-"

All three of his friends gasped and leaned closer.

"Ooooooh~!" Sezim purred.

"You've had a fling? With who?" Bulat asked, his voice as low and inexpressive as ever, though it was not without interest.

"Come on you can't keep this all to yourself!" Talgat exclaimed, grinning wildly.

Otabek stepped back, laughing again. "Holy shit, guys, back up! It's not like that! I've just…" Golden scales and Prussian green eyes flashed in his mind, causing him to smile serenely, "I've met someone interesting. It's not sexual-"

"Yet," Sezim said firmly. "Our boy can get anyone he wants. So it's not sexual YET." A wagging finger tapped Otabek's nose, making him blink. A rose color sprinkled onto his cheeks making the seductive woman grin. "So you do want it to be sexual. You slut," she teased.

"O-Oi! I just told you, it's not-"

"You're blushing," Bulat muttered, a vague smile on his lips.

Otabek stepped back, a scowl forming on his features. "Look, I can say with one-hundred percent honesty that I am not looking for sex in him, okay? I met this… guy at the lake. He didn't say much. If anything I think he was trying to rob me but it was interesting, alright?" The three seemed surprised before they all nodded to each other, knowing glances passing over Otabek. "What?!" He finally exclaimed, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his friends' stares.

"You're a glutton for punishment, you know that?" Sezim said, seeming this time to be serious. "Some guy tries to rob you and you just think he's cool? Beka, I almost feel bad for you."

"Oh come on, it's not like that exactly!" Otabek protested.

"Then tell us how it was? Otherwise we might feel the inclination to babysit you on your lake visits." Sezim folded her arms across the swell of her chest and leaned back into Talgat. She reclined her head onto the man's shoulder and waited, curious amber eyes never leaving Otabek's.

Otabek threw up his hands, scoffing. "Alright! Alright! But you're going to think I'm lying," Otabek paused to raise his hand, catching the attention of the bartender for the back porch. The bartender nodded and gave Otabek a thumbs up before hurrying to the other side of the bar, beginning to mix what Otabek would usually order. "So… I was sitting on the dock, like usual. I heard this loud splash so I was watching for the fish whose dorsal I had seen flash when I hear this loud ripping noise. I turn around and this soaking wet, half-naked… guy… was there on the edge of the dock, looking through my notebook, ripping pages. He must have been some kind of cosplayer or something, because he had these brilliant golden scales on him, and the best looking merman tail I had ever seen. It was really realistic. And he had these cool ear prosthetics that looked like tri-pointed fins." He stopped long enough to pick up his drink as it was pushed towards him, dropping the money due plus a tip on the bar. He took a large gulp before going on. "So I lunge after him and he splashes me! This guy took off after a second too, swimming faster than any person I've ever seen, it was like he was a real merman."

The three before him listened patiently, expressions ranging from curious to confused to mildly interested. As Otabek stopped, Bulat spoke first, his impressive base voice just barely audible over the thudding of music inside. "So you like him, right? I think it's a good thing, you being into someone exciting for once. I

think you've been holding yourself back, Beka. Just promise you won't get yourself hurt and I'm fine with it. Make friends with this guy."

Sezim gaped at her taller, dark-haired boyfriend, amazed at his encouraging words. "Whaaaat?! How could you think he should hang out with some weirdo in a fish costume?! Bulat!"

The taller man only shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We aren't his parents, Sezim. We're his friends. We need to support him when he's interested in something."

To that Talgat seemed to agree, nodding slightly. "I… I think it's weird but if he likes this fish stuff that much then maybe he'd be a good match for you, Beka. You've always been crazy about that shit. Maybe this freak could be good for you." He squeezed Sezim's hips, reassuring her. "Besides, you're old enough to make your own choices. But if this guy hurts you, you better believe I'll gut him." The silver flash of a switchblade flicking out of a jean pocket caught Otabek's eye as the other spun it around his fingers with practice. "Believe that."

Otabek laughed and held up a hand, the remaining glow of his cigarette fizzling out as it burned its last. He let it drop into the ashtray nearby. "Whoa there killer! I can handle myself, remember? I'm the one who bailed your ass out of that trouble you had with that gang downtown. Just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean that I'm weaker."

Sezim huffed, a pout forming on her lips. "Boy you really know how to pick them, don't you, Beka?" She muttered before tossing her hands up in defeat. "Fine! Be friends with the weird fish boy. But don't get your ass drowned, okay? Who else would I complain about these idiots to, eh?"

Otabek laughed and sipped at his drink, chestnut eyes rolling slightly. "Of course. I wouldn't want to miss a single exciting update about your love life, Sezim."

"That's right!" She grinned, clapping her hands together. "I know you wouldn't!"

* * *

Otabek got off to a late start the next morning, finding himself with the slightest headache from the drinking the night before. He grimaced as he stepped out into the sunny noonday light, shielding his eyes with a hand. He knew he shouldn't have drank so much at work but it wasn't too often that he had the opportunity to drink with his friends these days. The only time, really, was the odd weekend when he didn't have to work at the club. He recalled a time when they had been together almost every day, back in secondary school. It had been before Sezim had begun dating both men and had bounced between the two as often as the seasons changed. Otabek was happy that they'd finally figured something out but he couldn't help but to feel a little like a third - or would it be forth? - wheel.

The dark-haired male shook the thought away and glanced down at the plastic bag of food he was carrying along with his usual messenger bag. It was his hope that he could lure the man, or creature, closer with this bag of food. It had worked with other types of fish, so it seemed worth a try now.

Hurriedly, Otabek began the trek through the woods, his mind full of possibilities. Of course he couldn't be a real merman. What would a real merman be doing in a lake in the middle of Kazakhstan? He looked foreign, with his pale skin, wide eyes, and pale blond hair, so maybe he was some kind of tourist visiting local water features. If he was so much a fan of aquatic life that he dressed like that, maybe it wasn't so far fetched. After all, this dock had once been very impressive, so maybe he was interested in sights like that. Otabek bit the inside of his lip.

"Who am I trying to convince…?" He mumbled, ruffling his hair with his free hand. "I know what I saw… I can't think of any way that someone could make gear that looks that realistic." He glanced around the forest and huffed. "There's only one way to find out… I need to see him again."

With a determined look on his face, Otabek increased his pace.


	3. Chapter 3

After carefully setting up several biodegradable plates with food at the very edge of the dock Otabek took several steps back. He sat down on a sturdy looking plank and crossed his legs, lifting his hands to cup around his mouth. "Hey! I'm not going to hurt you! I brought food just for you! It's good! I promise!" He shouted out to what very well could have been no one for all he knew.

Wide inquisitive eyes watched him carefully from the nearby reeds, however. The dense stalks hid his golden hair from view as he squinted towards the other, suspicious of the purpose for offering him anything. He had, of course, heard that this human was kind to the creatures he had lived with for many years but the pale merman was not convinced. He had watched him closely for several years now, critically analyzing each time. He had been embarrassed when he was caught the day before, but at least he had escaped with his life. As fascinating as this man was, his grandfather had warned him about humans and the pain they always brought with them.

"Never let a human spy you, Yurochka. They steal us from the water and let us dry out. They cut us up for food. If one sees you, they will try to catch you. Promise you will be careful," the elder merman had told him when he had only been a child in a time when this prison had connected to the larger waters he had grown up in. To this day he cursed the winter that had stranded him and his grandfather in this filthy puddle. It had been so cold that his dear grandfather had fallen into torpor and Yuri, despite his grandfather's urging, remained behind and eventually fell into his own torpor as well. By the time that spring had roused them from their dream-like state the small channel to the sea had closed, preventing their passage. Another thing to blame on humans, his grandfather had told him those many years ago. Yuri was a fully grown merman of one-hundred and fifty now, and was wise to the ways of humans, relying on his grandfather's warnings to help them both survive. He took care of the old man now, scavenging and hunting to feed them both.

"I'm going to turn my back!" Yuri heard the human shout, his earfins twitching. "If the food disappears, I'll assume an animal took it!"

A bemused smirk rose on Yuri's lips. What manner of trap was this that the human was planning? He slipped closer as the human turned his back, diving down to exit the reeds. Silently, the blond merman swam closer, peeking up through the water every few yards to ensure the human hadn't moved. Each time Otabek was in the same spot. Finally he got to the end of the dock, curious eyes scanning around for any fishing wire or netting on the food. There was none. Slowly he reached up and grabbed one of the shimmering bite sized pieces of food. The glaze was sticky, Yuri noticed as he squished it between his fingertips. After a moment of playing with it the merman popped it into his mouth and set to chewing. His eyes bulged. It was amazing. Probably the best thing he had ever eaten. It was sweet and soft to the tongue.

Greedily, the merman gobbled the rest down, lapping at his fingers after they were gone. His green eyes darted back up to the Kazakh man, who he found had still not moved. Immediately he tried something new, a sliced round substance of a brown color. This one was not sweet but it was still good, perhaps something he could share with the old man when he got home. Yuri nodded and decided to save the rest of that. He was about to reach for something new when he suddenly felt eyes on him. Hurriedly he looked up and met eyes with the human who was smiling softly at him. Yuri held very still, anxiety flaring.

"It's okay," the human said in an extremely soft, reassuring voice. "I am not going to hurt you. Please, keep eating. I only wanted to see you."

Yuri jerked back at first, scared by the noise of the other's voice. His forest colored eyes narrowed as he moved closer again, his webbed hand reaching out to grab a thinly sliced piece of meat. Deliberately Yuri raised it to his lips before biting into it, not breaking eye contact with the man before him. He flinched as Otabek smiled wider. "What?!" He suddenly shouted, startling not only the human but himself.

"You… You can speak…" Otabek said, blinking in surprise. It was Russian that the blond had spoken, but naturally Otabek had learned that language along with his own in school. It was the second language of Kazakhstan, of course. He mentally switched over to his Russian tongue before speaking again. "M… My name. It's Otabek. What's yours?"

The creature blinked suspiciously at the dark-haired man before answering. "Yurochka… But my shortened name is Yuri," he muttered before gnawing at the meat again. "Your language is weird, boy. You sound soft when you speak."

Otabek raised a brow. "My name isn't boy… It's Otabek. What do you mean by soft?" His heart was racing. Obviously this had to be a dream. There was no way that he was sitting here conversing with a person who was only half human.

"Your consonants. They are not strong like mine. You sound… not like me. Idiot."

The insult came as a surprise to the Kazakh man. Were all mer-creatures this rude or was it exclusive to this one? Otabek cleared his throat. "Sorry? I am not Russian, like you sound. I'm Kazakh."

"Kazakh? Is that a new tribe around here?" Yuri asked, intending to be facetious. His tongue darted out to lick his fingertips, cleaning them thoroughly. "Your manner of dress is unusual. You've always worn weird things." Green eyes seemed to bore holes in Otabek's own as he stared, ready to dart at any given moment.

A sprinkle of pink colored Otabek's cheeks before he spoke. "It's… not a tribe, no," he answered, taking the question seriously. "Just how old are you?"

An indignant shout roused from the scales man. "OI! Didn't anyone ever tell you how fucking rude that is?! Asking someone's age! Unbelievable! You twat! I was only joking about the tribe thing! I KNOW what Kazakhstan is! I've been here for a while! Asshole!"

Otabek immediately realized his mistake and waved his hands, an apologetic look on his face. "I-I'm sorry! You're right! That was very rude of me. I let my curiosity get the best of me…" It was then that something dawned on him. "Hey…" Yuri stopped glaring and rose a brow, "You said I've always worn weird things. You've seen me before?"

Yuri smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course. I'm not oblivious like a human. I watch what happens around me. Idiot."

Something about being watched for so long without his knowledge sent a shiver up Otabek's spine. He did his best not to let it show. "A-Ah, I see," Otabek muttered as he reached up, tugging at a strand of his hair nervously. "I should have guessed, I mean you live in such a finite area. It makes sense that you would have seen me before."

Yuri observed the other male as he bit his lower lip. Perhaps a nervous habit, Yuri thought, but what about? Weren't humans supposed to be some kind of battle hungry beasts? This one, however, really looked almost like one of his kind. The human before him, and the way he expressed himself, it really felt like he was talking to another merman. "You. Boy," Yuri said suddenly, startling the human into looking up. "Why are you bothering me, anyway? Are you attempting to trick me so you can catch me? I suggest you give up if that's why. I'm stronger than I look. I am in my prime."

Otabek's nose wrinkled the slightest bit. "No! I would never try to catch you!" He said, looking confused. "Why would I do that? I just wanted to see you again, Yuri. I couldn't believe it when I saw you! I mean, a real merman. You are, aren't you?"

It was Yuri's turn to make a face, scoffing at the other. "What else would I be? A sea dragon? Are you soft in the head?"

A laugh escaped Otabek. "N-No! I mean, I thought maybe it was a costume and that you were like me. A human, I mean. You act like one. I'm excited that you are a merman though. I thought they were fairy tails. I've always loved marine life. You should know that if you've seen me before. I always feed the fish when I come, that's why they swarm when they feel the dock move. Some of them even let me pet them."

Yuri's lips poked out as he listened to the other, eyes narrowing slightly once more. "I have seen. But why do you insult me? I am not human. Humans are barbaric monsters who think only of killing others. You're just a weird one. If anything you act like a merfolk. I am nothing like a human."

That confused Otabek and it showed on his face. "Why… Why do you think that humans are like that? No one I know likes killing. We lock people like that up." Though being called akin to a merman flattered him, Otabek was somewhat put off by Yuri's blatant judgement of the human race. "I don't know about how humans were, but I don't think we are like that now. Now we settle things with words, if we disagree. We don't go to war as easily as humans did in the past."

"Yeah, yeah," Yuri muttered, shoving a dripping slice of bread into his mouth. He chewed noisily before swallowing. "I don't care. Just don't try anything funny or I'll drown you. Got it?"

Otabek nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat. "I swear, I will absolutely not try to hurt you. But could I ask you something?"

Yuri rose a brow at the dark-haired man. "What do you want?"

"Could I… Could I touch your tail?"

A blush broke out on the merman's face, darkening his cheeks drastically. He shouted, "You pervert! Who asks that the first time they meet someone! Holy shit! How would you like it if I asked to touch your, your… your wiggly stumps… LEGS! Your legs! How would you like it if I asked to touch your legs?!"

"I would let you," Otabek said with a shrug, oblivious to the point that the other was making. "Did you want to?"

Yuri gaped at the other, an irritated look on his features. "NO! I mean… yeah, but… not right now!"

"Why not?" Otabek asked, tilting his head. "Is it… some kind of cultural thing? Do your kind not like that sort of thing? I'm sorry, I didn't know." Otabek held out his hand, palm up. "Here, you can touch me first, okay?"

The merman hesitated, looking uneasily at the hand in front of him before very slowly reaching out and tapping his fingertip against Otabek's own. The tanned male smiled when green eyes darted up to look at him. Yuri looked back down at the extended hand and placed his own against it, gasping at the texture, unaware that the human was just as surprised.

"He's… so slimy!" Otabek thought, fighting the urge to yank his hand away in surprise.

"He's so dry!" Yuri thought, rubbing their palms together. Reluctantly he drew his hand back, an uneasy expression on his face. After a few silent moments, he slammed both hands onto the dock, startling the Kazakh man. In one push, Yuri hoisted himself onto the splintery wood, his beautiful scales shimmering as the sun hit them. "Touch! Then I get to touch your legs!" He said firmly, swinging his tail towards the stunned human. His caudal fin wiggled nervously. "Hurry! I don't want to dry out! And don't try anything funny or else I will drown you, I swear!"

Otabek was again surprised by the other's demanding nature. He reached out slowly, gently placing a hand on the lower portion of Yuri's body, just above his wiggling caudal fin. Amazement twinkled in his eyes as he stroked downwards. "A-Amazing! It's so smooth!"

Yuri's face flushed once more as he yanked his tail away, covering his mouth with his hand. "O-Oi, don't be weird about it, you freak," a pause, "Thanks."

Otabek gave him a confused look. "Thanks? For what? You haven't touched my legs yet…"

"For the fucking compliment, you assface!" Yuri shouted, slumping into the water once more. He dipped under the water briefly before returning to the surface, glaring at Otabek. "You said my tail was… smooth… so thanks, I guess. I try to take care of myself," the merman grumbled before holding out a hand. "Now pay up. Take off your trousers and let me touch your legs."

A more confused look crossed Otabek's face. "I could just roll up my pant legs. I don't have to take off my pants for you to touch my legs."

The merman rolled his eyes. "Semantics. Do it then," he said, waving a hand in the other's direction.

Otabek chuckled as he began rolling up one of the legs of his pants, exposing tanned skin with a light amount of black hair sprinkled across the expanse. Slowly, so not to frighten the other, he extended his leg forward. "Go ahead then," he said, watching as the merman reluctantly reached forward.

A shiver ran up Otabek's spine as a slippery webbed hand slapped onto his exposed leg but he did not lose his smile. Yuri slowly ran his palm up and down the man's leg, marveling at the dry, and comparatively coarse texture it had when he thought of how his own skin felt. His brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "This fur you have, what purpose does it serve? Merfolk only have fur on their heads, eyelids, and eyebrows. Our head hair is used to lure prey and our eye and brow hair is to keep parasites away from our eyes. Why do you have it on your legs?" Yuri pinched a single strand and pulled it, resulting in Otabek jerking his leg back very slightly.

"A-ah! That's attached, you know?" He said, laughing a little. "Our body hair is for a few reasons, I think. The most important reason is for warmth," Otabek explained, "And it's not just on our legs. It can be in many places, like on our arms and chests."

Yuri's eyes glimmered with curiosity as he leaned closer, his chest now resting on the dock. "Let me see! Take off your top clothing! I want to see your human fur!"

Otabek's ears burned as the other began insisting that he expose himself, grabbing hands trying to lift his shirt. He grabbed the other's hands and lowered them, laughing nervously. "H-Hey, calm down! I'll show you, but you have to stop grabbing me, okay? Otherwise I won't be able to."

The merman settled down immediately, his chin resting on his palms as he watched the other lift his t-shirt up and over his head. A look of admiration flashed over his features. "You look small but your body is strong! You have the build of a warrior!" Yuri exclaimed, reaching forward to caress the other man's upper chest. He swirled a finger in the modest amount of hair, surprising himself as he found that he liked the sensation. This fur was somehow softer than the leg fur. "Your chest fur is soft, boy. It looks like it would be used to attract a mate. Is that another use?"

Embarrassment flooded the Kazakh at the merman's comments. He knew it was meant to be a compliment but it felt more like he was being put under a microscope. He had been about to answer when a slick, wet cheek met his chest. Yuri had lifted himself up and was now rubbing his cheek against Otabek's chest. "H-Hey!" Otabek exclaimed, jumping back suddenly to separate them. "What are you doing?!"

The merman blinked at him, giving him the most incredulous look Otabek had ever seen. "I was feeling the fur. Are you soft in the head?"

Otabek paused for a moment, thinking back to some of the books he had read on sensory areas in fish. He nearly exclaimed as he recalled. In most fish the areas with the greatest concentration of sensory nerves are often around the eyes, nostrils, pectoral and dorsal fins, as well as certain fatty or fleshy areas on the tail. He relaxed more, scolding himself for assuming something so perverse had been happening. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking… Here, you can feel," Otabek said as he moved closer, leaning so that he was on the edge of the dock and in easy reach of the merman.

A brief hesitation slowed the golden-haired male before he leaned forward again, rubbing his cheek against the other again. "Amazing!" He said with a smile as he raised a hand to run over the hair. "It is pleasant to the touch. Does this fur cover most of your body? How far does it go?"

Nervous laughter escaped the human male. "Well… That differs from person to person," he said, looking down at the other as he pulled away. "For me, I have a little on my chest, armpits, arms, legs, back and uh… my reproductive area." Telling the other man about his body like this was bordering on uncomfortable for Otabek but he bit it back. This was only because the merman had obviously never seen a human up close like this before.

Yuri seemed to be considering something before he smiled, crossing his arms. "Humans are… interesting. You're almost like a furry forest creature that can speak. I like it," he announced, leaving Otabek to arch a brow. Did Yuri think of him as a dog or something?

The sudden vibration of his phone in his pocket startled the Kazakh into jumping, which in turn made Yuri flinch into a half dive. Once he realized there was no threat the blond crossed his arms, glaring. He almost spoke before Otabek pulled out his phone, answering it with a shaky hello. When Sezim's voice greeted him he smiled softly, shaking his head as she asked him several questions in a row. Yuri's eyes were wide in wonderment as he listened to the noise coming from the small device.

"What is-?"

"It's a… It's my friend, Sezim," Otabek whispered, covering the mouth piece, "This is a device that lets humans talk to each other from far away." Otabek flinched as the woman on the phone demanded to know who he was whispering to. "I-I'm just at the lake. I'm talking to the guy I told you about, alright? I met him today." Another bombardment of questions. "Hold it! Slow down!" A pause, "Okay… His name is Yurochka and he's Russian… I don't know how old he is, like seventeen? Eighteen, maybe… Oh my God, I told you that already, it's not like that…"

"Not like what?" Yuri asked, becoming the slightest bit irritable at being ignored for someone else, though he couldn't explain why.

Otabek's cheeks flushed red. "Nothing, Yuri, it's nothing… Ah! Sezim, shut up… I've only just met him, that's why!" The dark haired human seemed to glower at the dock as he listened to his friend lecture him. After a moment he huffed and spoke, "Look, I'm a bit busy right now, could we do this later?"

The merman shifted in the water, a look of disdain on his face as the other continued to talk into the small square. Finally he decided to act, snatching the phone away from the other, raising it to his twitching earfin. Otabek cried out and lurched forward, trying to grab it back but the merman deftly swam backwards, allowing the other to nearly fall in. "Human woman! I am borrowing your mate! He will speak to you again once I am done with him! It is rude to interrupt people when they are speaking, you know?!"

Sezim screeched into the phone, excitedly attempting to bombard the blond with questions. Yuri's face contorted slightly before he tossed the phone back to Otabek. He giggled a little at the other's expense when he yelped, fumbling the phone for a moment before putting it to his ear. "Sezim! I have to go! I'll call you back!" He thumbed the end call button before she could protest and pocketed the offending object. Otabek ignored it as it began vibrating again. "You didn't have to-"

"How rude are you!?" Yuri shouted over the other, his face red. "You should not acknowledge others when speaking to someone. Are all of your kind this rude? You may speak with your woman later! I have you right now!"

Otabek blinked as he was scolded, a shocked expression dawning on his face. "H-Hey, she's not my woman! I don't have someone like that! Calm down!" He said, speaking softly but with purpose. "I wasn't going to stay on long, I promise. I never realized that it would upset you or I wouldn't have answered. It won't happen again."

Smirking, Yuri crossed his arms over his chest. "You have never mated? You look mature, how have you not?"

The human male's ears burned as he made a face. "H-Hey, that's not really any of your business, you know?" Otabek looked to the side and was about to speak again when Yuri began first.

"Otabek, you will come tomorrow?" He asked, making the Kazakh look over towards him again. He blinked as he noticed the slightly nervous look on his face. The blond seemed to be looking up at the sun's position. "I have something to do now. You will meet me here tomorrow. Got that? Same time!"

Again, the Kazakh had been about to speak when he was splashed by the other as he dove. All too quickly the golden scales of his new friend disappeared in the dirty water. Otabek reached up, gingerly pushing his now dampened hair back, water dripping from his chin and nose. He smiled softly, shaking his head. "What a weird guy…" he muttered before shouting out, hoping the other could somehow hear him, "I'll see you tomorrow, Yuri! I'll leave this food here in case you want it!"

Yuri, however, could not hear him as he dove deeper into the murky waters, making his way to the den that he and his grandfather had dug out many years ago. The old man should be waking up any moment.


End file.
